Dan Baker (rugby union)
| Birth name | Dan Baker | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | 5 July 1992 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Neath, Wales | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 188 cm (6 ft 2 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 114 kg (17 st 13 lb; 251 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| School | Cwmtawe Comprehensive School Neath College | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Dan Baker (born 5 July 1992) is a Wales international rugby union player. A back row forward, he plays for Ystradgynlais RFC having previously played for the Dragons, Stade Montois, Ospreys and Aberavon RFC
Club career
[edit]Baker came through the Ospreys grade age system, beginning with Ystradgynlais RFC. He played for Swansea RFC, before makes his debut for the Ospreys in January 2013 in an Anglo-Welsh Cup fixture against the Dragons.[1] He signed a contract extension with the Ospreys in April 2014.[2] In November 2015, he signed a National Dual Contract with the Ospreys and the Welsh Rugby Union.[3] Baker signed another extension with the Ospreys in November 2016.[1]
Baker was named as man of the match in a Pro12 match against Connacht on 7 January 2017, scoring a try in the win.[4] He suffered a serious knee injury on 15 October 2017, and was ruled out for the remainder of the season.[5] Baker ultimately did not return until September 2019.[6]
Baker departed the Ospreys in 2020 for Pro D2 club Stade Montois.[7] He joined the Dragons in February 2021 initially to play until the end of the season, but was later signed for the following season.[8] Baker was released by the Dragons in 2022, and subsequently joined Aberavon RFC.[9] Baker returned to home town club Ystradgynlais RFC for the 2023-24 season.
International career
[edit]Baker was selected for Wales U20 for the 2012 Six Nations Under 20s Championship.[10] He was part of the Wales U20 team that beat New Zealand U20 in the 2012 IRB Junior World Championship, their first win over New Zealand at that age level, and a first Welsh win over a New Zealand national team since 1953.[11]
In May 2013 he was selected in the Wales national rugby union team 32 man training squad for the summer 2013 tour to Japan.[12] He made his international debut against Japan on 8 June 2013.[13]
Baker made his third appearance for Wales on 8 August 2015, in a World Cup warm up match against Ireland.[14] He was ultimately not selected for the final squad.[15]
Baker was selected by caretaker coach Rob Howley in the squad for the 2016 end-of-year rugby union internationals, but did not appear in any of the match day squads, and ultimately gained no further caps for Wales.[16]
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Baker signs new Ospreys deal". BBC Sport. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
- ^ "New deal for Baker". PlanetRugby. 30 April 2014. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
- ^ "Baker and Thornton sign dual deals". BBC Sport. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
- ^ "Ospreys 29-7 Connacht: Welsh side move top of PRO12". Sky Sports. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
- ^ "Ospreys: Injured back row forward Dan Baker out for season". BBC Sports. 23 October 2017. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
- ^ Orders, Mark (11 September 2019). "The forgotten Wales international set to resume his career after 699 days". WalesOnline. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
- ^ "Dan Baker: Wales back row leaves Ospreys for France's Stade Montois". BBC Sport. 26 May 2020. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
- ^ "Gonzalo Bertranou and Dan Baker sign new Dragons deals". 13 May 2021.
- ^ "Wales international signs for semi-pro club at 11th hour and says team-mate was 's**t on'". 27 May 2022.
- ^ "Wales U20s squad announced - Welsh Rugby Union". Welsh Rugby Union | Wales & Regions. 26 January 2012. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
- ^ Howell, Andy (8 June 2012). "New Zealand under-20 6 - 9 Wales under-20: Young guns create history". WalesOnline. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
- ^ Wales squad. BBC Sport
- ^ Wales debut
- ^ Rees, Paul (8 August 2015). "Ireland run in five tries to crush Wales in World Cup warmup". The Observer. ISSN 0029-7712. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
- ^ "Wales' World Cup squad". BBC Sport. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
- ^ Doel, Jon (18 October 2016). "Wales rugby squad announcement LIVE". WalesOnline. Retrieved 22 March 2023.